THE BIRD FEED

Alexis DeBad is a Toronto-based Production Designer, originally from Vancouver Island. Her trajectory has brought her from the far West Coast to the far East Coast, attending film school in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Alexis found her way into the industry through collaborations on music videos and short films. She is forever thankful for the nurturing environment the Nova Scotia film industry provided during the formative stage of her career.

Photo: Mat Barkley

What film can you not live without and why?

The Wizard of Oz is the first film I remember watching as a child and I couldn’t begin to count how many times I have seen it since. All of my first dreams and nightmares took place in this fantasy world, literally dreaming in technicolour. I was both terrified and enamoured with this film and still revisit it regularily.

What film do you currently find yourself watching ad nauseam? And what about it keeps bringing you back?

I have a serious problem with watching the same films over and over. I grew up watching horror films at (probably) a disturbingly young age and they will forever be important to me. For that reason I will always find time to watch The Shining, which is not only an incredible novel but a significant piece of filmmaking. Also I have a fixation with patterns and that iconic carpet is my favourite piece of film decor.

Has a modern film impacted you lately? If so, what film, and how?

As a big horror fan, It Follows and Get Out are two films that really impressed me in terms of pacing, originality and of course the underlying social commentary in both. It is rare to find films in this genre that stand out nowadays where jump scares seem to be the norm.

Photo: Mat Barkley

What word of filmmaking advice would you give to your younger self?

I think that I still am my younger self so I am constantly learning lessons. One of the most important things is to stay humble and remember that there is always someone out there who can do your job with a better attitude if you decide to take a day off.

How do you continue to educate yourself as a filmmaker?

One of my favourite things about my job is the constant need for research. The scope of topics I have spent time educating myself on is huge and often zany and will only continue to grow. I like to think it makes me a useful trivia player. But really, I am thankful every day for the internet. Serious props to the old school Production Designers who did all their research through books and mouth. Reference images are as simple as Command + Shift + 3 nowadays, praise technology.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome as a filmmaker?

Time and budget constraints seem to be an ongoing challenge in this world.

What’s great about making films in Canada?

I’m lucky enough to have lived across the country from coast to coast and I find the dramatic geography we have in this monstrous country to be a visual feast. Feeling uninspired? Take a look around.

What Canadian film inspires you?

Too many to list but recently, Mommy by Xavier Dolan. This film had a devastating realism to it that made it both painful to watch and absolutely beautiful.

What do you love about the art of filmmaking and why?

I love that it takes so many different skills, talents and people to make a film come together.​

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF Alexis'S WORK, OR HERE TO SEE HER PREVIOUS CREDITS.